Don't own it, lovelies. If I did, there would be delicious Darkshipping with adorable uke Yami and psycho seme Bakura. *sighs dreamily*
"So, your friend lives here?" Kisara asked as she admired the rather large house in front of her.
Atem nodded. "Yes. He's also my co-worker." Letting out an awkward cough, he noted, "He isn't exactly the greatest at meeting people, so don't be offended if you two get off on the wrong foot, alright?"
Kisara sent him a questioning glance, but settled for nodding her head. To Atem's surprise, she boldly walked towards the door and rapped on it loudly.
A few seconds later, a platinum-blonde haired young man with surprisingly bright violet eyes opened the door. He wore large golden earrings and matching golden cuffs, with a shirt Kisara couldn't help but sneak a giggle at.
'Now that's a shirt you don't see everyday,' she thought, smiling outwardly in an amused fashion as she tried to rid herself of the giggles.
"Marik, is your brother home?" Atem inquired quickly (the situation was beginning to grow awkward since Kisara was still muffling giggles).
'Marik' looked at Kisara a moment before nodding his head, "Yeah... Mariku's home." He sounded curious; something Atem didn't blame him for. He rarely visited the Ishtar residence after all.
"Is something wrong?"
Kisara smiled at the familiar voice. "Isis."
The other woman smiled and brushed past her younger brother gently, wrapping her arms around her pale friend. "Kisara." She silently scolded Marik for making 'childish faces' before turning back to Kisara. "What brings you and Atem here?" Her voice was warm and welcoming as usual.
"We'd like to see Mariku, please," Atem answered with a smile.
Isis nodded and motioned with her hand for the two to follow her. As Kisara stepped into the Ishtar home - which she'd never been in, only Isis's new home with her husband - the smell of spices and fruit immediately met her nose. It was such a delightful smell, reminding her greatly of the Fall air.
When they'd stopped walking, Isis rapped on the door before saying, "Mariku, Atem and a friend of his are here to see you. Come out, please, and we shall see you in the kitchen." Despite the light tone she'd used, there was an undertone that suggested Mariku had no choice but to come out.
Isis guided her friends into the kitchen and gestured towards the chairs there. Atem politely declined the offer, and Kisara did the same, saying she wished to speak with Marik. While Isis went to fetch drinks, Kisara did just that.
"How old are you?" she inquired politely as she watched the boy scribble away in his notebook.
"Fifteen," Marik answered proudly. The albino woman chuckled.
"And how old is your brother?"
"Too old."
While the adults in the room laughed, Marik scowled. He'd been completely serious!
Finally, his brother made his way into the kitchen with a bored look on his face. After he laid eyes on Atem, however, his expression changed to one of surprise. "Yes, what is it?" he asked.
. . .
"The name 'Sleeping Beauty' really fits you, you know. Always sleeping, and always beautiful."
Yami let out a groan. He'd gotten used to waking up and hearing his captor's voice, but that didn't make it any less annoying. He wanted to get out of here as soon as possible, and here was this idiot thinking he could just call him beautiful -
"I can't read minds," Bakura mused, "but I'm going to assume you're inwardly trash talking me at the moment." He grinned. "I'm flattered that you even bother to think of me."
Ignoring the others' growl of annoyance, he continued, "Your boyfriend's basically ditched you, you know." Even though Bakura's words were harsh, his tone was the opposite. It surprised Yami greatly. Why wasn't he rubbing it in his face? Why wasn't he seducing him or telling him 'you're all mine'?
'Does he really care?'
"Anyway..." Yami's eyes focused on Bakura's face once again as the albino spoke, "I don't want to keep you in this shed forever." Bakura laughed when he saw his captive's eyes light up at his words. "Oh, don't think I'm letting you go. We're just... re-locating."
. . .
"So Yami went missing..." Mariku frowned. "When did this happen?"
"A few days ago," Kisara responded solemnly. "I think he went out for a walk after I told him about Seto..." She wiped a few tears from her eyes, "...and he never came back..."
Isis rubbed gentle circles in her friend's back as the albino woman sniffed quietly, "Marik, can you go to your room for a moment?"
The boy nodded quietly and walked down the hall way and around the corner without a word.
Atem turned to Mariku and let out an exasperated sigh. "I -" His eyes flickered over to Kisara, "We - were wondering if you'd help us find Yami by using... you know."
The other man nodded. "Sure." His eyes narrowed, "Do you have any suspects?"
"I have one."
They all looked at Kisara in surprise. The woman's tear streaked cheeks were tugged downwards in a determined frown and her sapphire eyes were full of determination.
"Someone who's suspiciously nonchalant about this whole thing." Her voice was quiet - but her tone fiery. Kisara then looked Isis in the eyes. "Why else would he treat Yami in such a way? Perhaps he's behind this whole thing."
. . .
"Sir?"
Seto looked up at his new secretary - Rebecca Hopkins - with a bored expression. "What?"
"A woman named Kisara would like to see you..." The girl added nervously, careful not to meet her boss's eyes. "...shall I send her in?"
The CEO let out a long annoyed sigh before glaring at Rebecca coldly. "Send her in." The blonde young woman nodded quickly and walked over to the broad oak door, grasping the handle and allowing the woman behind it entrance.
"You may leave now." Seto glanced at Rebecca with the same cold stare. Said girl quickly fled the room, briefly greeting Kisara as she left and mumbling incoherent words under her breath.
"I want to ask you something, Kaiba." Kisara's voice was as cold as ice, her eyes no different, challenging Seto's own frosty glare.
"I don't have time to talk to you, Kisara." He smirked devilishly. "The only bitch allowed in this office is my new secretary."
"Then what are you doing here?" The woman challenged. Her cobalt eyes narrowed. "Yami's missing, is he not?" Seto's raised eyebrow was answer enough for Kisara as she continued, "Why are you so nonchalant about this? Why do you act is if you don't care?"
"It's not an act," Seto responded coldly. "I simply don't miss him."
Kisara's eyes flickered with disgust. "Yes, about that. I wanted to ask you just why you don't miss him, hmm?" She crossed her arms and sent the smug business man a hateful glare. "Could it be that you know where he is?"
Seto scoffed, "If you're going to accuse me of a crime, don't beat around the bush." He let out yet another annoyed sigh, "No, I do not know where he is, nor am I behind this 'crime'."
"'Crime'?! Your boyfriend was kidnapped!"
"My ex-lover was kidnapped, Kisara, not my lover." The CEO grinned when the woman sent him a withering look, although the pain in her eyes didn't escape him either. She cared far too much about their relationship. It was all over in Seto's mind.
Well, to a certain extent.
. . .
"And just where are we going?" Yami inquired as Bakura pulled him through the forest near by the shed he'd previously occupied.
"You'll see," Bakura answered promptly.
Yami would've attempted escape many times before, but Bakura had slipped a collar over his neck while he'd slept. Supposedly it would stun him - similar to how a stun gun would - if he pulled away from Bakura, who was holding the collar's 'leash'.
To put it simply, Yami hated being treated like a dog and controlled by his captor.
When they reached their destination, the youth was genuinely shocked.
He hadn't expected Bakura to bring him to the British youth's own home.
"My younger brother's at school and my older brother's probably off at some gay club fucking people," Bakura grinned, "so we're good to go." Had he been turned around, he would've seen a not-so-discreet blush cross Yami's frowning face at the 'subtle' way of describing his older brother's actions.
"And you're going to keep me where, exactly?" Yami inquired warily as they stepped inside the house, eyes briefly scanning the Egyptian-themed wall decor, the questionable smell of the home reaching his nose.
The only reason it was questionable was because Bakura lived here yet the building smelled like flowers.
"It wouldn't be very smart if I told you, now would I?" Bakura smirked - which only widened when his captive sent him another withering look. He was used to them by now. If anything, he found it adorable.
. . .
"It's not just me who thinks this, Seto," Kisara announced as she boldly stepped closer to the CEO's desk. "Your brother in law is quite suspicious of you as well, and don't get me started on your own brother."
"Seth?" Seto raised a questioning eyebrow. "I'm not surprised. But give it up Kisara - you're not convicting me of any crime." His cold cobalt eyes narrowed dangerously as an equally threatening smirk crossed his lips, "And if you try, the consequences won't be so light. It's your choice."
"Threatening your sister in law are you?" Seth's voice filled the room was the young man strode in, Isis behind him with rage burning in her eyes. As he put an arm around his wife, Seth sent his brother a glare. "I'm embarrassed, brother."
The other brother looked surprised, but this was quickly replaced with irritation. "And just what are you doing here, Seth?" He scoffed coldly, "Don't tell me you've jumped on the 'convict-Seto-Kaiba-bandwagon'."
"If that's what it takes to bring my friend back and teach my brother a lesson, Seto, that's what I'm going to do."
Kisara couldn't help but wince at the icy tone her husband used. When Seto and Yami were happy, everyone else had been happy, and the Kaiba family had gotten along better than ever, despite the fact that the youngest Kaiba - Mokuba - was out of country studying (1) and Seto obviously missed him. But this wasn't any excuse. He'd been happy with Yami and Yami had been happy with him, even when Mokuba had left.
'So what went wrong?' Kisara thought sadly.
. . .
When Yami's eyes opened, he was surprised to find a freshly painted ceiling above him. Slowly sitting up, he found he wasn't chained or tied up in anyway - although he noted the locked door and let out a miserable groan.
'Damn it,' he thought fleetingly.
Not wanting to deflate his spirits - or for Bakura to walk in on him this crestfallen - Yami decided to continue examining the room. Beneath him was a plush, velvety bed that was a dark navy blue. The youth's eyes widened. Blue was his favorite color...did Bakura...?
Once again shaking his head to rid his mind of the albino, Yami's eyes traveled to beyond the bed. There was a desk, complete with a chair and writing utensils. Though he willed himself not to be, once again Yami was shocked. Writing was one of his many passions (2). There were lovely paintings and photos of the sunset, one of which looked to be taken in Ancient Egypt.
'Where I used to live...'
It was as if Bakura had planned his arrival. As if he'd got this ready for him. As if... he'd studied Yami and his interests - just to create this room for him.
"Like it?"
Pushing down the jump that threatened to rack his frame, Yami slowly turned around and saw Bakura standing there with a smirk on his face. He looked quite pleased with himself.
Hello my lovelies. I'm currently sick as hell and can barely see straight, so forgive me if this chapter's horrible and rushed and flat-out 'bleh'.
(1) Mokuba's a bit older in this than usual in case you're wondering. I set the age around fourteen or fifteen.
(2) I decided to give our favorite Yami-kins my passion. Aren't I just wonderful?
And yes, now I've thrown a few new characters into the mix.
I apologize if this chapter is so cringe it makes you want to find me and kick my ass, but please be patient and I'll try to have the next chapter out with more lovely Darkshipping, okay?
~ Recette